Can Acupuncture Treat Insomnia?
It’s probably 3 AM right now, and you stumbled upon this article desperate to find a solution to your insomnia. It’s true: insomnia is a frustrating problem. You feel tired and sluggish but can’t get to sleep. Other issues include inferior sleep quality thus leading to tired days. If you are anything like me, your mind is constantly going, and it seems like it just starts racing when it’s time to go to bed. I’m analyzing everything that happened during the day, making a new to do list for the next day and trying to remember if I put the clothes in the dryer. It seems like we are so busy during the day that its not until we finally rest our body our mind gets the chance to go into overdrive. Unfortunately, that leads what may seem like forever to fall asleep, possibly still waking up several times per night with more racing thoughts. Them when you finally do get to sleep, the dreadful alarm goes off and you feel as if you did not rest at all. The next day you feel lethargic until you get your cup of coffee in and that only last a couple of hours. Seems like a vicious cycle that we can’t break out of and the only option is to take a sleeping pill that you then may become dependent on or cause you to feel even more groggy in the morning. While there are several sleep hacks out there, acupuncture is an interesting one. Although the idea of sticking needles into your skin doesn’t sound very appealing, acupuncture surprisingly has a lot of benefits for curing insomnia. Although acupuncture has been practiced for over 3,000 years some people still relate it to helping with pain management. Good news for you, acupuncture is very commonly used to help people with insomnia.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is primarily a healing technique originating from Chinese medicine: a system of medicine involving the insertion of fine needles into the skin that are energy points (meridians). Acupuncture finds its applications in the treatment of a myriad of mental and physical conditions.
How Acupuncture Helps Cure Insomnia
Acupuncture has its benefits along the lines of alleviating the issues that lead to insomnia such as:
Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Insomniacs can relate to this: you find yourself ruminating about totally random things and can’t get your mind to “rest” due to underlying issues such as stress, anxiety and depression. This occurrence is usually associated with anxiety and restlessness. At Holistic Healing we will address the root cause of your insomnia and treat and evaluate all aspects that may be causing poor sleep.Other sleep-related benefits of acupuncture include stimulation of melatonin (which is a hormone responsible for inducing sleep). If your melatonin content is low, you will have difficulty falling asleep.
Acupuncture addresses the following issues:
Difficulty getting to sleep (onset insomnia)
Discontinuous sleep, episodes of waking up mid-sleep
Waking up way too early
Nightmares
Consulting a licensed acupuncturist is always recommended as he/she knows what energy points to focus on for curing insomnia. Usual treatments include using tiny needles at specific locations and resting for 45 minutes. You might find your mind going into a deep state of relaxation and taking on a gentle sense of serenity several hours after your session. After several treatments, your sleep quality will begin to improve. However, the frequency and duration of the therapy might vary. If you happen to be a chronic insomniac, more visits may be necessary.
3 Easy Tips to Fall Asleep Faster
Get an Adequate Amount of Sunshine
Sunshine stimulates melatonin secretion. Try to expose your skin to the morning sun as this is the perfect time to bask in the warmth while not feeling too hot. Try to get at least 15 minutes of sunlight daily to improve your melatonin levels.
Enable the Night Mode
Certain apps like f.lux on windows and mac filter out blue light and prevent it from entering your eyes. This helps you fall asleep faster because the blue light is infamous for suppressing melatonin secretion and makes your brain want to keep you up longer.
CBD Oils
Cannabidiol, popularly known as CBD, boasts of several health benefits such as alleviating pain, anxiety, and stress.It’s super easy to use CBD oil: You just place a few drops under your tongue and hold the oil in place for at least one minute. Then, swallow the oil.
CBD oil is particularly helpful for those suffering from anxiety induced insomnia. Additionally, CBD oil is also helpful in improving your stress response, thus helping you destress and calm your mind.
Mindful Meditation
Mindful meditation primarily boils down to bringing your awareness to this present moment. What do you feel this very moment? The simple act of focusing on what you feel helps you quieten your mind. Mindfulness is essentially being present in the present.
If you are insomniac, acupuncture offers a myriad of benefits to help you sleep faster and have a better quality of sleep. Improving the quality of your sleep will help you feel more rested and energized the next day. Acupuncture is a safe and natural alternative for insomnia. At Holistic Healing our practitioner will analyze the root cause behind your insomnia, and then design a custom treatment plan specific to your body’s needs. With this specialized diagnosis you will experience transformative healing.
Love and Light,
Amanda Sanchez MAOM, L.a.c Dipl.O.M
Holistic Healing Acupuncture